From: "Andrew Bollen"
Subject: Re: (urth) DOORS: sirens, nurses, death or escape
Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 15:18:23 +1100
Mantis wrote:
> The only quibble I have is that, very technically, the real Greek "siren"
> was not a mermaid but (yet another) woman-headed bird (see also harpies).
> I often make the mistake of thinking of sirens as naughty mermaids, as
> salt-water Loreleis, etc., and I can blame this in part to the visual arts
> of popular Western Civilization (from the Roxy Music album cover to
> anywhere else, like the barmaids in Joyce's ULYSSES, but that ain't
visual).
>
> Well, another quibble: is it really Leucothea? One source I'm looking at
> says "Leukosia."
Blah! You're right; I was muddled.
Leucothea the sea-nymph resuced Odysseus, so I guess it's still an
appropriate name for the lover of Cap'n Billy.
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